MONTICELLO -- Henderson State had a single-point halftime lead at Arkansas-Monticello Saturday, but the Boll Weevils broke out early in the second half and held on against a late rally to down the Reddies 82-72.
The Reddies (7-7, 2-6 in the Great American Conference) struggled early in the second half as Arkansas-Monticello (9-5, 4-4) used a 15-2 run to eliminate Henderson State's 35-34 halftime lead and swing the momentum in its favor for a 49-37 lead with 15 minutes remaining. The lead swelled to 59-45 with 10:44 to go, but the Reddies used a 17-4 run, fueled in part by a pair of 3-pointers from Monticello native D.J. Franklin, to pull within 63-62 with five minutes to go. The Boll Weevils caught their second wind, using plays from Tyrin Jones and Karim Mawuenyega, to outscore Henerson 19-10 in the final minutes to pull away for the win.
The Reddies finished with three players in double-digits, senior Kaylon Tappin pacing the team with 18 points, including three baskets from distance. Freshman Chris Parker finished with 14 points and six assists.
Franklin added 12 with a team-leading six rebounds in his return to his hometown. Raekwon Rogers, a freshman forward from Little Rock, put on a solid show in the second half, shooting for six while grabbing six boards and taking three charges to force turnovers in the Reddies' big run.
The Boll Weevils had a strong start, cruising to a 16-8 lead early in the half, but Henderson used back-to-back 3-pointers from Tappin and freshman sophomore Tanner Hamilton, as well as a three-point play from Tappin, for a 9-0 run that gave the Reddies a 17-16 lead with 10:44 to go in the period.
Neither team was able to break free in the remainder of the half, leaving the Reddies with a one-point advantage before the second-half run by the Weevils that turned the game.
Henderson was 17-for-21, 81 percent, from the free throw line, but could not take control of the backboard as Arkansas-Monticello out-rebounded them 43-32. The Reddies also struggled in the second half, shooting just 36.7 percent while the Boll Weevils sank half of their second-half shots from the field.
The Reddies are on the road again Tuesday as they take on cross-town rival Ouachita Baptist in the first installment of the Battle of the Ravine this season. Tip-off at Bill Vining Arena is set for 7:30 p.m.
Sports on 01/14/2018